Two decades later, we have a race of babies that hate the ladies that makes the babies. These babies have grown to become men still burdening that hate as society continues to spoon feed these babies food for thought about the diminished value of the black woman. It trickles down to the women themselves, who feel unappreciated, unwelcome, un-loved, not by society in general but worse by the very men who share their skin, share their plight.

When I was approached to participate in this #loveletterstoBW challenge, I took a second to think why do I love black women in spite of the world seemingly giving me the okay to feel otherwise, in spite of having been betrayed by black women, attacked by black women, disappointed in black women. To my black women, I love you because of your beauty, inside and out. Black don’t crack is what they say and the implication is more than skin deep. You don’t crack when mainstream culture says the standard of beauty is straight hair and fair skin. You don’t crack when you love us men so fearlessly, there’s no levels to the shit, you give your all and even when you fall, you climb back up ready to fall again. You don’t crack when you have to prepare your own little kings and queens for the tough world ahead, strict yet fair.

I love you for the confidence that beams from your melanin, from the way that you walk and the attention you command when you talk. From makeup to your dress, when you decorate your canvas and I’m caught looking I’m just admiring the art. I love you for the motivation, from my mother who made me believe I can do anything to my readers new and old who inspire me to write. Whether you’re a student or professional, I see your hustle and it only motivates me to do more.

I admire the will, strength and drive of my black queens; I can only begin to understand what you go through. Mothers, wives, sisters, aunties, to whomever this may concern I say I love and you and I say that not to woo or suck up. I say that because it needs to be said, needs to be reiterated, needs to be internalized. As a black man I assure you that I have not given up on you and I plead that you don’t give up on us.